Rajeev Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan

- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 7th March, 2013 approved the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA) for the 12th Five Year Plan period.
- The goal of RGPSA is to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system across the country and address criticalgaps that constrain it.
- Though the key role of Panchayats in rural governance and socio-economic development has been recognized since the 1950s, it is in the current context that the need for empowered Panchayats has intensified with the rise in expenditure on programmes of social welfare and inclusion, as Panchayats are vital to ensure that the benefits of these schemes reach the people, management of local institutions is improved and accountability is enhanced.
- There is need to provide Panchayats with adequate technical and administrative support, strengthen their infrastructure
and e-enablement, promote devolution, improve their functioning, through regular democratic meetings of the Panchayat, proper functioning of the standing committees, voluntary disclosure and accountability to the Gram Sabha, proper maintenance of accounts etc.